Why is it dangerous to swim in a reservoir?
Lakes and reservoirs might look very similar, but they actually have quite different origins.
A lake can be natural or man made, and is usually a big body of water that supports local animal and plant life.
A reservoir looks very similar, but is nearly always man made.
It is a place to store very large quantities of water for many reasons - for flood control, to act as a water supply or as a source of hydroelectricity.
Reservoirs are very dangerous places to swim and the government advises against people taking a dip in a reservoir. Here's why:
- They tend to have very steep sides which makes them incredibly hard to get out of
- They can be very deep, with hidden machinery that can cause injuries
- The surface can look calm but the current might be strong below due to pumps used to move water around
- They tend to be isolated - meaning that they might be far away from emergency services if things go wrong
- The temperature tends to be very low, below 10 degrees Celsius, even on a hot day
Sadly, some people do not know about the risks of swimming in reservoirs - and there have been serious accidents that have happened at UK reservoirs in the last few years.
So reservoirs should always be avoided if you want to take a dip in open water.
Lots of us love a swim in open water - but did you know that not all lakes are safe to swim in? Here's why.
www.bbc.co.uk